Qantas Business Class meals & menus

[kermatu]

Lasagne for me too on back-to-back flights this week. CBR-MEL 17:35 and MEL-HBA 19:30. QF Link 717 services.
First flight very quick service. Wine refills including on descent. Cheese and crackers also available on request. (I’m guessing this was the Y snack).

Tasty and have to say a big improvement on the pathetic J ‘meals’ on this route in recent pre-pandemic years.

Second flight had very slow but still friendly service. Wine refills offered so far into descent that crew were scrambling to clear cabin before touchdown (and failed to retrieve hung jackets for J pax before disembarking).

Disappointing to get same meal. When my travelling companion noted this to the FA, she was offered a box of veg sticks, hummus and flatbread. I had the lasagne but was also given the box for some variety.

Lasagne was fine but I didn’t have it all. Hummus box was excellent - but not a substitute for a full meal in J. Assume this was the Y snack but can’t be sure.

 

[BrettV]

Status run MEL-SYD-WLG-SYD-MEL yesterday and today.

QF408 MEL-SYD (A330 in J)
Frittata with bacon and baked beans. Little Grant Burge to start the day at 7am... I'm not convinced that bacon works on a plane.




QF161 SYD-WEL (B737 in J)
Barramundi in a tomato sauce with roast potato and beans.
The fish was tasty enough albeit a little dry and the Duval Leory champagne doing the rounds.



QF162 WLG-SYD (B737 in J)
Omelette with bacon, baked beans and kale (the bacon comment above carries over to this one too)



QF493 SYD-MEL (B737 in J)
Leek and bacon tart, caramelised onion and mushy peas

 

[Mr H]

Almost everything seems to be based around eggs. Do they let you byo nice food?

 

[Berlin]

Status run MEL-SYD-WLG-SYD-MEL yesterday and today.

QF408 MEL-SYD (A330 in J)
Frittata with bacon and baked beans. Little Grant Burge to start the day at 7am... I'm not convinced that bacon works on a plane.

View attachment 284841

I can assure you that bacon can work well on a plane, it’s just that Qantas doesn’t care on Domestic sectors. They used to do it okay from memory on J international and I’ve also had decent bacon on BA and American before. So if the latter can make it happen, Qantas could surely if they wanted to. I personally find that burnt brown thing next to it much scarier to be honest- is that supposed to be a “poultry sausage” of sorts or is it just dog poop? Bah.

Also- I assume still no proper meal on the trans-Tasman? Paper menus, Neil Perry “salad” fizzle, nice Pepe Saya butter-all gone for good? That’s very sad. Looks like a Domestic J class meal with proper Champagne to me now. Qantas already was vastly inferior food wise on the trans Tasman to Air NZ (and of course Emirates, while it lasted!) pre Covid but this looks even more dismal now

 

[VPS]

I wish it was herbs. It's spinach which we all know is EVIL and hence destroys the otherwise fine meal Also, way too much parsley here, another fizzle green that comes from the same hell as spinach and -the worst- rocket. Bah, bah, bah.

I love spinach parsley and rocket - coriander on the other hand

 

[Seat0B]

From CBR-MEL QF 1517 on Friday 15 July and back today on QF1520 - so disappointing I didn’t even bother with a photo. Both legs was a poxy toasted sandwich, not even as good as you could make yourself in the club because they were effectively steamed by being wrapped in foil. No other choice offered. No water on boarding. Plus a 30 min delay (waiting for crew to arrive). Pretty abysmal really. At least they didn’t lose our bags.

Luckily, the Melbourne Business Lounge Spice Bar lunch today was delicious so I didn’t miss out. Already posted about that in the spice bar thread.

Which leads me to the sad state of the Canberra Business Lounge compared to Melbourne. In Melbourne, there was a great range of fresh and appealing food, including spice bar, toastie fixings and 2 separate hot dishes, salads, olives and dips, little pieces of 2 different slices, soup and rolls, pour your own drinks, full selection of tea bags to make your own pot of tea, plenty of seating. In Canberra, the QP is still closed, so it’s tough to get a seat, even when you fly outside business hours. The food offering is clearly the QP offering not the business one and is very limited and sad. Only redeeming feature was excellent flat white and chai latte on Friday as we left.

As a paying business class customer, I’m really quite disappointed with this trip.

 

[Seat0B]

@kermatu, I also got the hummus box today MEL-CBR after rejecting the poxy toastie referred to above. I agree it was good, and also agree it’s not a substitute for a business class meal.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

QFd MEL J lounge was more recently upgraded (2018?). when they decided to do the swappie, ie, QP spot became the QFd MEL J lounge, and the former spot of the QFd MEL J lounge became the QP.
Was in the CBR QP a few years ago, when it was quite newish at that time, but can't say about the QFd CBR J lounge, was meaning to try that lounge out, but then Covid hit, was thinking about a J trip to CBR to test ouf the QFd CBR J lounge, but thanks for the feedback.

 

[Seat0B]

QFd MEL J lounge was more recently upgraded (2018?). when they decided to do the swappie, ie, QP spot became the QFd MEL J lounge, and the former spot of the QFd MEL J lounge became the QP.
Was in the CBR QP a few years ago, when it was quite newish at that time, but can't say about the QFd CBR J lounge, was meaning to try that lounge out, but then Covid hit, was thinking about a J trip to CBR to test ouf the QFd CBR J lounge, but thanks for the feedback.

The CBR J lounge is also reasonably new (was done up at the same time as the QP)and pre-COVID was a lovely place, especially if you flew outside busy times. It is quite small, but I never had a problem getting a seat pre COVID. But they still haven’t opened the QP and so the business lounge is really, really crowded - all the time. They are rationing the food, especially hot food, like they do in the QP- there is not enough and lots of empty platters with one soggy item left sitting and they don’t replenish anywhere near enough. I had my eyes well and truly opened today with how good it was in MEL - pretty much back to pre-COVID. I’m going to give them feedback as if they will care, but I will feel better about it!

 

[kermatu]

In Canberra, the QP is still closed,

CBR is my home port, so unless there is a delay I am rarely there for more than 20 minutes. It's not a great J lounge for sure (especially as I have been in the CL there a few times), but is fine. The regular lounge is open as far as I'm aware (definitely was on 14/7 and 18/7) but the J lounge was pretty full on 14/7 in the early evening, exacerbated by a few delayed flights.

I will put one thing out there - by far and away the best 'special' staff delivered dishes offered at your seat by the servers have been in the CBR J lounge. I've had fried chicken, pork buns, cheese platters, dumplings, soft tacos and more (pre and post pandemic). Never had such good offerings in BNE or PER, and very rare in SYD and MEL.

 

[Mr H]

CBR is my home port…

I will put one thing out there - by far and away the best 'special' staff delivered dishes offered at your seat by the servers have been in the CBR J lounge.

I knew there had to be an upside to living in Canberra, even if you only get to experience it as you’re leaving.

 

[RichardMEL]

No paper menu.

QF domestic J has not had menus... ever??? certainly not over the past 15ish years in my experience. Perhaps back in the 90's(though I doubt it)

EDIT: On second thought if memory serves me correct menus did appear at one point in time on transcons - tied in with the competition with VA on those specific PER routes in particular when QF was making an effort.

In general though QF domestic J has not had menus in my experience.

in fact I can think of few domestic flights on carriers with menus handed out. jetBlue Mint and AA/UA/DL "special" transcons between NYC and LAX/SFO an exception. Actually I think Virgin America may have, but it was a long time ago, and that carrier is no more.

 

[Seat0B]

CBR is my home port, so unless there is a delay I am rarely there for more than 20 minutes. It's not a great J lounge for sure (especially as I have been in the CL there a few times), but is fine. The regular lounge is open as far as I'm aware (definitely was on 14/7 and 18/7) but the J lounge was pretty full on 14/7 in the early evening, exacerbated by a few delayed flights.

I will put one thing out there - by far and away the best 'special' staff delivered dishes offered at your seat by the servers have been in the CBR J lounge. I've had fried chicken, pork buns, cheese platters, dumplings, soft tacos and more (pre and post pandemic). Never had such good offerings in BNE or PER, and very rare in SYD and MEL.

CBR is my home port too - and the QP was definitely shut on 15/7 when we departed for a short break in MEL. Big sign up in the doorway saying it was closed and to go to the business lounge. The whole airport was really busy, even in the middle of the day, with people travelling related to Manchester United FC.
I agree about the “specials” too - but I’ve never been offered anything post COVID on the 6-8 occasions I’ve flown in 2021 and 2022.

 

[kermatu]

CBR is my home port too - and the QP was definitely shut on 15/7 when we departed for a short break in MEL. Big sign up in the doorway saying it was closed and to go to the business lounge. The whole airport was really busy, even in the middle of the day, with people travelling related to Manchester United FC.
I agree about the “specials” too - but I’ve never been offered anything post COVID on the 6-8 occasions I’ve flown in 2021 and 2022.

Perhaps staff shortages are a factor here, so it might be hit and miss as to whether everyone is directed to the J lounge.

Have had cheese platters and pork buns in recent weeks as the table service, so it is definitely back in the current COVID era. (I shouldn't have said post pandemic).

 

[alexczarn]

Status run MEL-SYD-WLG-SYD-MEL yesterday and today.

QF408 MEL-SYD (A330 in J)
Frittata with bacon and baked beans. Little Grant Burge to start the day at 7am... I'm not convinced that bacon works on a plane.

Same sector that I also took; I can't fathom why VA J can plate the yoghurt, but QF J has me fiddling with a little plastic container. Meant to be a chicken chipolata I'm guerssing??

 

[kermatu]

QF 998 HBA-SYD 12:05 departure 737 service.

No PDB or pre-meal service. Two options for lunch. Lasagne (of course) or pork fillet. I had the pork.


Tender and pretty tasty. But not the most generous serve and overall the dish was a bit too salty (especially the potatoes). But decent and thankfully not just the lasagne again. Bread had been in the oven too long and was nearly inedible even when soaking up the sauce.

Good service from Graham and his team. Generous wine pours and refills, including through descent and then a lengthy holding pattern into SYD, which was appreciated.

 

[RooFlyer]

Tender and pretty tasty.

And doesn't look half bad!

 

[Rangalad]

CBR is my home port too - and the QP was definitely shut on 15/7 when we departed for a short break in MEL. Big sign up in the doorway saying it was closed and to go to the business lounge. The whole airport was really busy, even in the middle of the day, with people travelling related to Manchester United FC.
I agree about the “specials” too - but I’ve never been offered anything post COVID on the 6-8 occasions I’ve flown in 2021 and 2022.

That's really odd. Arrived on QF864 (1342). QP was open, J/CL lounge empty.
Agree with the dismal buffet selection. Staff were helping themselves and making toasties for lunch.
No specials were offered, staff too busy making their lunches.

 

[mviy]

when they decided to do the swappie, ie, QP spot became the QFd MEL J lounge, and the former spot of the QFd MEL J lounge became the QP.

No. That is not correct. You used to walk through the QP to get to the J lounge. You certainly do not walk through the J lounge to get to the QP lounge now.

So some of the QP is where the old QP was and some of the J lounge is where part of the old J lounge was.

With the redesign the J lounge got all the windows looking out to the tarmac. Previously both lounges had places where you could look out onto the tarmac.

 

[love_the_life]

No. That is not correct. You used to walk through the QP to get to the J lounge. You certainly do not walk through the J lounge to get to the QP lounge now.

So some of the QP is where the old QP was and some of the J lounge is where part of the old J lounge was.

With the redesign the J lounge got all the windows looking out to the tarmac. Previously both lounges had places where you could look out onto the tarmac.

I thought in the refurb they changed things and now 2 separate areas and entrances so don’t walk through QP to get to QJ now.
And funny when we flew out of CBR on 15/7 latish I was pretty sure I saw the QP was open - not a lot of people in J lounge.